Southern Culture On The Skids

Together for nearly two decades, country/rockabilly faves Southern Culture On The Skids have put together a fun little covers album that sees them putting their stamp onto 15 tracks that run the gamut from traditional country to classic rock. Doing something like that at this point in their career could be seen as a stopgap, hinting perhaps that the well has run dry, but the trio do such a convincing job that it’s obvious that some time and effort have been put into making this happen. Unlike most of their previous albums, where guitarist Rick Miller handled the majority of the lead vocals, bassist Mary Huff steps up to the mic. Her vocal delivery suits the set well, whether she’s sharing leads with Miller on a radical reworking of Neil Young’s "Oh Lonesome Me,” tearing your heart out on Wanda Jackson’s "Tunnel Of Love” or rocking your socks off on "Fight Fire,” the pre-CCR, Nuggets-style hit by the Fogerty brothers as the Golliwogs. The trio manage to take all of the songs here and put their own spin on them.